Which book opens C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series in its original publication order?

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe opens C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series in its original publication order.

Published in 1950, it introduces the Pevensie children—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—and their entry into Narnia through a wardrobe. The story also introduces Aslan and the White Witch, two of the series’ most important figures.

The Magician’s Nephew is earlier in Narnia’s internal chronology because it describes the world’s creation, but it was published later, in 1955. Some editions number it first for chronological reading, which is why readers may encounter a different sequence.

The novel became one of Lewis’s best-known works and has been adapted for stage, television, radio, and film. Its publication began the seven-book series that concluded with The Last Battle.